Pastor Jim Swilley's Son, Jared, Shocked By His Father's Coming Out Gay

Jared Swilley says he was shocked by his father's announcement that

he is gay.

Megachurch Pastor Jim Swilley told his flock that he's gay last month.

The twice-married father of four founded Church in the Now in Rockdale

County, Georgia 25 years ago. The 52-year-old Swilley said he knew he

was gay since he was a little boy. He added that the recent rash of gay

teens bullied to death motivated him to come out of the closet.

“As a father, think about your 16-, 17-year-old killing themselves,

I thought somebody needed to say something” an emotional Swilley told WSBTV.com in Atlanta.

Atlanta. “He had been married twice and he's a preacher. … It was definitely shocking, but I was actually glad when he told me.”

Jared Swilley, the bass player and frontman of the band Black Lips,

said his father told him and his siblings that he is gay in May.

“It was the closest that I've felt with my family in a really long time,” he said.

“I think he's a lot happier,” he added.

Adamfoxie blog Int.